by Alan Black
The three women turned just in time to see Norm trip over an obviously and deliberately outstretched foot. All four men at the table had the look of earthers. They were shorter than the average Ceres native or space born and they were more muscular. This batch was wearing the uniform shirts of Queene Mining warehouse lumpers. They were men with little more in the way of attributes than a strong back. All four men laughed riotously as Norm started his fall.
Norm was a Ceres native. He had been born and raised in a ten percent gravity field. What the men at the table failed to remember is that cafeteria pranks do not work the same on Ceres as they would have in elementary school on Earth.
Norm leisurely twisted sideways, balancing the tray in one hand. His other hand shot down, the palm slapping the floor with enough force to push him back upright. A slight push from his toes adjusted his forward movement to bring his feet back under his center of gravity. It would have been the performance of a master dancer on Earth, but in minimal gravity it was a simple matter of how everyone caught their balance when they tripped. However, no matter what the gravity, Norm was still a typical gawky fourteen year old boy who could not have pulled off a smooth move on his best day.
The beers slid from the tray, tumbling from their tumblers, tracing a slow, amber, helical arc through the dim lighting. Anyone used to light gravity could have easily pushed themselves out of the way with a minimal amount of effort. Unfortunately, the table of lumpers reacted with Earth conditioned reflexes sending them sprawling every which way into other tables. Two of the men, so over-muscled the move they ended up pushing themselves through the upturned beer flow, drenching themselves and changing the course of the beer arc. That arc now threatened to splatter other tables.
Most people laughed and easily dodged the wildly tumbling men and leisurely slowing beer spill. Mario’s was just the type of place where people applauded and laughed at other diners, and Mario’s oft played pranks. The earthmen bellowed, cursing in rage and embarrassment. One of the men grabbed at Norm, swinging a mighty fist at the boy. Mario’s was also the type of place where people who worked hard, would come to play hard.
Norm dodged out of the man’s grasp with ease, skipping away.
When the man righted himself he rasped, “You little dip. I am going to kick your skinny, little rear end.”
Before the man could move, Sno stepped between him and Norm. She waved Mario back to the kitchen as the owner had been braced to vault over the bar and into the fray.
“Not now, Mario. Go back to work.” Sno said. “I think these gentlemen will realize they started this mess, and they will quietly sit back down. Then we can all enjoy a quiet beer or two.”
One of the men leaned forward and stretched upward, his face inches from Sno’s face. “I will sit when I want to and I don’t want to. Not until that freaking brat gets what is coming to him.” His bad breath washed over Sno.
Sno shook her head and smiled, “Don’t think so, earther. You will be polite and sit down. And then take a mint, would you?”
The man grunted, “Ha. Are you going to stop me? And my boys, too? There isn’t a decent set of muscles in this place. Of course, you got a cute backside, so maybe we can tap into that after I kick skinny boy’s butt.”
Sno watched as the man’s three friends stepped behind him, moving into a phalanx facing her. A very well muscled bald man was to her right, a fat man to her left and a very short man to her far left. It was four to one. She knew a dozen people in the place would jump in quickly if she let them, not out of friendship, just for the joy of a good tussle. Johnson and Spanky were not much good in a bar fight and Norman was just a kid. Besides they were not that kind of friends.
She took her eyes off Mr. Bad Breath to glance around the restaurant. Mario had not retreated into the kitchen yet. She gave a quick shake of her head, calling him off. That should suffice for other patrons.
She said, “The damages are on their tab, Mario.”
The others in the restaurant quickly moved out of the path of whatever might be coming, taking their meals and drinks with them. She chanced a quick look behind her, flicking her hands at Johnson and Spanky.
Johnson shrugged. She grabbed Norm and Spanky pulling them away from the center of the room. Spanky laughed, snagged an abandoned beer, and perched atop the back of a chair on the far side of the room, her feet on the seat. Johnson had to grab Norm with both hands and literally sit on the boy to keep him from leaping up to Sno’s aid.
Bad Breath wheezed, “Looks like every one in here is smart enough to back off, girlie. It’s just you and me, then.”
Sno smiled, “You mean, just you and me and your three clown friends.”
Baldy laughed, “You think you can take all four of us, Red?”
Sno laughed back, “Friendly warning, and your last warning from me. Yes I can. But, let’s make it interesting, shall we? Since Mister Bad Breath here likes the shape of my backside, if I can’t take all four of you in a fight, fair or not, then I will take all four of you at the same time, backside and all; if you get my drift.”
Baldy laughed, “I get your drift. I normally don’t go for skinny skanks. I would rather do your dark-haired friend, but I guess I’ll take it where I can get it.”
Bad Breath snorted at Baldy, “After me maybe. I get firsties. You can take sloppy seconds.”
Fatty leered at Sno, raking his look up and down her body. Shorty had a glazed look as if he had gulped down a few too many drinks and was not really following the conversation.
Sno smiled, “No need to fight about it, gentlemen. It can be all four at once or one at a time. It is your call. But, on your end, if I do by some chance, beat all four of you senseless and then you pay Mario for any damage, plus a round of drinks and a sub for everyone in the place. And I mean everyone. Deal?”
Bad Breath and Baldy looked at each other and burst out laughing.
Sno said, “I will take that as a yes. What about you, Fatty?”
“Go to hell, bitch,” Fatty spat back.
Sno replied, “I live there, Fatty. Be careful or I will take you home to meet my daddy. You in, or do I just get to beat you senseless just for the fun of it?”
Bad Breath said, “He’s in. We’re all in. Now and later, sweet cheeks.” The man reared back, cocked his right arm, telegraphing what normally would have been a mighty right hook. But, in the light gravity his own weight threw him off balance.
Sno stepped forward, planting both feet in a widespread stance, placed an open palm on the man’s chest. She shoved just as Bad Breath was teetering on the brink of catching his balance.
Surprise showed on the man’s face as his feet left the ground and he soared into Baldy. Both men tumbled, ungracefully but slowly, arms wind-milling to catch their balance and legs akimbo as if searching for a toehold. They tangled with a couple of chairs and crashed into a pile under a table.
Sno flexed her feet just enough to push her up and forward beginning a slow, spinning kick at Fatty’s chest. The spin started slow, but without gravity it seemed to pick up speed. Still, it was slow enough the man easily ducked below her foot. She had not meant to kick him with her outstretched foot. She had planned on his inexperience with lower gravity. As he ducked, she whipped her trailing leg around making contact with his face. A cracking noise was heard all the way across the noisy room.
The man was off balance from his own movement. The force of her blow sent him spinning rapidly into Shorty to her far left. Both men collapsed into a heap, no one in the place expected either man to get up. Shorty looked content to pass out under Fatty’s bulk. Fatty began to scream in pain, holding his face in both hands. From the cracking sound of Sno’s kick, no one doubted something had broken and everyone knew it wasn’t Sno’s foot.
Everyone in the place knew the fight was lost. That was everyone except Bad Breath and Baldy. The two men finally untangled themselves from overturned chairs and table legs. Their curses gave way to bellows as they threw the offending c
hairs out of the way. Both men launched themselves at Sno, their arms outstretched, planning on encircling her and using their momentum to scoop her up and push her up against the bar.
It appeared to be such a coordinated move, Sno felt sure they had been in other fights together. It also appeared they had still not accounted for the gravity, or rather the significant lack thereof.
Sno pushed against the floor and shot quickly to the ceiling. Both men sailed underneath her. She flexed her arms and recoiled off the ceiling to drop back to the floor behind Bad Breath. She grabbed him by the shoulders as he bounced off the bar. A quick twist sent him spinning in place. Sno managed to slap a foot to the floor, correcting her own spin, twisting the opposite direction of Bad Breath. She let an elbow fly, catching the man in the nose, with a jarring crunch that stopped both their momentum.
Baldy recoiled off the bar and twisted just enough to face Sno. He braced his legs wide apart to counter any spin or horizontal movement. He reached out, with just enough length to grab a handful of her t-shirt.
Sno snap-kicked forward; driving her shin into Baldy’s crotch with enough force it lifted his body off the floor in a horizontal trajectory. When his body was stretched out parallel to the floor, she peeled his hand off her shirt. He did not resist her effort; his facial contortions easily showed he was well and truly out of the fight.
Bad Breath was bellowing with rage. He was on his knees with one hand braced on the floor. He was holding his nose with his other hand, blood seeping out between his fingers.
Sno stepped up to the man. She was close enough to the bar she hooked her left foot under the brass railing. She stomped her right foot, bringing her heel down across the man’s hand as it braced on the floor. She felt bones give way as Bad Breath’s raging bellow turned to little girl screams. Sno drew back her right foot, preparing to lash out at the side of his head.
Mario shouted, “Enough, Whyte! They’re done. You knocked one of them unconscious, one of them is screaming like a little girl, one looks like he isn’t going to breed anytime soon, and the other one is so drunk that he wouldn’t have given Norm any trouble.”
Sno smiled as Norm shouted back in protest.
“I guess you’re right. Sorry about the mess,” she said.
Mario shrugged, “Had to happen sometime. They have been itching for trouble every time they came in. Besides, they’re paying for damages, plus beers and subs for everybody in the place. We just have to get their pay cards from them and I am going to have the best night this place has done in a month. Oh, and I already called for the paramedics and the police.”
Sno laughed, “So what? I still haven’t had my first beer and they started it. Right?”
A dozen heads nodded in agreement around the bar.
Mario said, “I agree. However, I think the Sheriff’s Department still wants to ask you about the little issue at the dock just before you left last time.” He held up a warning hand to stop her reply. “I know Randy and Jim started it, they got what they deserved, they had it coming, et cetera, and so forth. I am not disagreeing. I don’t know if it is true, but the word is Randy and Jim both signed complaints against you. You’ve dug yourself a nice little hole if these screw ups also file a complaint. Maybe Willem made a mistake letting you take martial arts training and low gravity ballet at the same time and maybe not. But, you won’t lift ship again for a long time if Sheriff Bob decides he wants to investigate.”
Sno protested, “That isn’t right, he can’t pull my ship or my captain’s papers.”
Mario shook his head, “No. He can’t. However, Randy and Jim are his nephews and he can delay inquiries and hold you in town for questioning until every rock in the system is peeled down to dust. You are out of time. Get. Now. Before the police get here and if I was you, I would undock fast and stay gone for awhile.”
Chapter 5.0
“Come on, Dad. Get a move on with the download. I am running out of time here.” Sno called out over the Sedona’s ship-to-dock comms, staring at her father’s face. She realized he was looking younger and more relaxed than he had in the last few years, even though the grey hair was creeping around to encircle his ever-expanding bald spot.
Willem replied from the Whyte’s dock side office, “It doesn’t go any faster than it goes. If we rush it, then you won’t get the applications configured to the computer core in the proper sequence. Besides, Larry from Wright Logistics and Service is still pumping recycle juice through your sewage system and running diagnostics on your mechanicals. Larry is the best tech-head on Ceres, but you can’t rush him anymore than you can rush the apps n’ core upgrade.”
“I know. Boy howdy, do I know. But, I still need to undock.” Sno re-read the text message she had gotten just moments before from Johnson and Spanky detailing the Sheriff’s Department handling of the mess at Mario’s. Everyone, including the sheriff, thought the whole thing was a hoot until someone mentioned Sno by name. Then Sheriff Bob’s face went purple and he stormed out of Mario’s. Sno viewed the video and snapped off her personal comms so no one could trace her signal.
“Oh, by the way, daughter, Vittie just sent me the most amusing vid-mail from the office. It seems the sheriff dropped by for a rather spectacularly vocal visit.”
“Oh, crap!”
“Oh, crap indeed, young lady. You might try to remember your actions can have repercussions throughout our whole business, not to mention how it reflects on your dear ol’ dad.”
“Look, Dad, these guys-”
Willem interrupted. “Chastity Snowden Whyte! Don’t you dare try to justify yourself with me. You may be taller than I am and probably able to kick my fanny six ways from Sunday, but you are still my little princess. Bar room brawls are not acceptable princess behavior.”
Sno smiled in spite of herself, “Yeah, I know. But, really, Mario’s isn’t so much a bar as it is a multi-functional family-style feeding facility.”
“That is not what I meant and you know it.” Willem snorted into the comms, but Sno could see the smile trying to creep through.
“Yeah, I don’t know why, but it seems my anger tank is topped off lately. Any extra anger seems to get slopped around on everyone else,” Sno confessed.
“Let’s get you out of here and give everyone a chance to cool off. Then later we can see if we can talk about that, okay?”
Sno said, “Okay, but there really isn’t much to talk about.”
“There never is, Princess. But, I want you to think about talking about it. I also want you to think about changing your attitude toward Vittie. I know you aren’t getting along with her, but she is here to stay as long as I want her to stay. I like her and she likes me. That should be enough for you, but just in case it isn’t, she is good for the business. Besides, take a look at the video she sent of the sheriff. Vittie handled him so well he didn’t even know he was being handled. Then, even though Vittie knows full well we are on the docks, she sent the sheriff looking for you down at Queene Mines and United Mech.”
The comm beeped for a break in, but it was voice only.
“Whyte Corp, this is Larry Wright of Wright L&S. Done enough to get the Sedona on the road. You really should have your vectral rotators replaced, but they’ll hold for a few more trips. The invoice is in the mail.”
Sno replied, “Thanks, Larry. I appreciate the hurry up.”
Larry replied, “Whyte Corp? I can’t hear you. Do you read?”
Willem spoke, “Yeah, Larry. We are reading you five-by on audio. Is your video on the fritz?”
Larry said, “It must not be working since I can’t see you either, Willem. Now I won’t have to lie to the sheriff when I tell him I did not see or speak to that wildcat daughter of yours. Not that I was eavesdropping, but…princess, my eye! Fairytales is all gone to garbage and back, that’s what.”
Willem said, with a laugh, “Thanks, Larry. I owe you one.”
Larry returned the laugh, “The heck you say; you just pay the invoice on time and we are sq
uare.” With an audible click, Larry signed off.
“Dad, or should I say King Willem, am I ready on your end? My sensors are green across the board except where you have me locked out.”
“Done, Princess.” Then more formally, “The Sedona, you are clear to undock. Good hunting.” Before Sno could reply, her father continued, as she depressed the undocking button and let the computer back the Sedona out of the docking slip and into empty space. “One more thing; we got a readout from those three contract ships. It’s looking a bit shaky and nothing coming through the material feeds into the coffers. We don’t know if there are any problems or not, but their coordinates put them about where you were on your last run.”
“No, Dad. Don’t ask me to go look up a bunch of earthers who don’t have enough sense to not get killed.”
“Yes, I am going to ask. And yes, you are going to do it. I know we don’t have any legal requirement to render assistance to these gentlemen, but we do have a moral and ethical requirement to help, if we can. And I will not have it said the Whyte Mining didn’t look out after it’s own. You will help if they’re in trouble. That is princess behavior.”
Chapter 6.0
“What is that?” Allan Lee screeched into the Blinkin’s comm system. His voice blasted to the other two ships. “Umpteen thousand kilometers and we drop right on top of that?”
Doc shook his head, “Easy, Lee. The odds are definitely very high against this happening, but it was always a possibility.” Doc could not begin to calculate how high the odds against this would be.
Joey laughed, “So you would say the odds were astronomical?”
Daryl laughed. Doc rolled his eyes and groaned. The comms from the others were silent.
“Okay, gentlemen. This is not the end of the world.”
Lee replied, “No, not even the end of the solar system, but we are so close to it we can smell it. We spend weeks getting away from the regular asteroid fields and into this area. And when we finally get to what you said was the most promising chunk of rock, we find this.”